Monday, February 28, 2011

Ms. Pink is one of our regulars who loves loves loves the color PINK. The other day I helped her color the columns and borders of an excel document pink. Then I also made the words in the headings of each column and row bolded pink. She was really happy.

Today she came to the desk with Joy to the World blaring from her ipod (probably not an ipod, but something that can play music). She wanted to know the difference between .doc and .pdf. I told her, and she asked-- so pdf means it is acrobatical?

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Marian, Michael, and Amy welcome Heather to our blog! She worked with us for a couple years at our crazy branch, and was just promoted to Liberrian II at another branch. Yes, we will miss her, but at least she will blog her stories. Welcome Heather!

Friday, February 25, 2011

May I help you?Yes, you may.... may i have a paperclip?Do you have a book on Harry Houdini?

How do I respond to an ad on craigslist if it doesn't let me click on the email?

It says "ask please," oh, I read it backwards, it says "please ask." Wow, is this a new (pencil) sharpener? I just wasted your time, sorry.
2 highschool students: Hi, we just borrowed this book (Handbook of Chemistry and Physics) about an hour ago. (He hands it to me, and I say thanks). Then one of them says-- oh, do you want me to put it back? Where is the area for Spanish books?

Excuse me, please take your cell phone conversation to the lobby.

Woman-- Hi, I just found these 4 reference books (about astrology, dream interpretation, tarot, and witches/witchcraft) in the circulating section. I think someone used them and didn't want to put them back. (Or my idea-- they were ready to steal them and then saw the security guard or another staff member).

Do you have music by Michael Buble? It used to be so easy to find, but now that he is popular I guess they're all checked out.

Young mother: Hi, do you have books on how to study for the GED and a video about "your baby can read."

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Can we purchase earbuds at the library? (Sorry, no) Oh, that’s okay, I just wondered since they have them at the library in New Mexico.

I want a book on wrestling, it’s my favorite. Is that okay?

Phone: I was here last Tuesday, not this past Tuesday but a week ago Tuesday, and I was here with my grandson who has to do a research paper for high school, it’s on Kennedy, but there weren’t any books available so we went to the information desk and we spoke to the staff person there, and she showed us the computer and we were able to find about five books that were available that we could order so we ordered them and she said it would take three to five days but it’s been a week and a half and we haven’t heard anything and (Okay, do you have your library card number? I’ll check on it.)

Where are the country CDs?

I’m making a sign, and I need to know the penal codes and fines for the following: loitering, littering, and dumping.

Can you tell me where the nonfiction is? (Well, yes, but are you looking for anything specific?) Twice Across the Plains by Pleasants? I’m a descendent of his and my sister told me about the book. It’s a true story!

Needs a whole array of parenting books for a class

Something that explains the Odyssey, since the poetry is “very deep”.

Do you have any books on ADHD? I just got diagnosed with that! But it doesn’t seem to run in my family.

Can I order that new book by Ricky Martin?

Do you have any large print books?

Do you sell envelopes? I just need one. (Sorry , no.) How about rubber bands, could I have two? (Yes, that I can do.)

Okay, there’s this series of books, and I’m not sure what they’re called, but each one is about a girl, and they tell their story. And it’s, like way back in time. (Dear America?) Yes! I think that’s it!

Is Heather here? (No, she’ll be in later) Oh, can you tell her Lisa from Branch X stopped by? She’s going to be our new manager. (Oh, you’re so lucky! We LOVE Heather and we’re so sad she’s leaving. Take good care of her!) We will!

Do you have the novels of Nora Roberts? My aunt saw the movies based on her books and she wants to read them.

So this new guy (who I can tell is going to be a regular) asked me for books on Catholic math. I asked him what he meant by that, and he didn't really know. The conversation ranged from pure and applied math, logic, differential equations, and abstract algebra. Then he said he wants information on abstract algebra that a first grader could understand. Oh. Wow.

A woman wanted to watch me thread the microfilm machine so she'd know for next time. So I walk over to the machine and ask her if I could please sit down.
Woman: NO, how will I know what you are doing?
Amy: It's easier to thread if I can sit down.
Woman: I'm not going to move. (It wasn't like she was disabled).
Amy: So, I'll just try to thread it from this awkward angle.

So I worked around her. It took much longer, but I did it. And I doubt she'd know how to thread it next time. Stay tuned.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

An older woman came to ask about how she can donate her body to science. She was so upbeat, after I gave her the information she said "double high 5s my dear, and keep smiling!"

Then a woman walked up to the desk and said loudly with laughter, I need to know if I was born on a full moon. My friends say it would explain a lot. I looked up the date and told her... no, your birthdate did not fall on a full moon. (And I thought... what if it did? How would she respond?!).

Finally Mr. Purple Book walked by and asked the usual question-- is that the right time? and, oh, do you know where the hardback book is?

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A woman who must have been new to the liberry heard the above three exchanges and was WOWed with what liberrians deal with on a daily basis.

Friday, February 04, 2011

Guy about 35 always says hey guess what? to me. Once it was for his new tattoo that he got for such a bargain, another time it was something his daughter made. This time he said-- hey guess what? My sister-in-law is cashing in one of her CDs so I can get new teeth! I hadn't really noticed (which I can't believe) what his teeth look like now, but he hardly has any.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

The immigrant who said you are excellent woman was back today. This time he was with his kids in the juv section. I was there working on the paging list. He said-- you are the future of the library. More information, more active, more serious. You are the future of the library!

Caller: Hi, I was there yesterday and I was looking at a reference book with the call number 629.2873. (The call number doesn't help much because all of the auto repair books start with 629). I was wondering if you could find the book and give me the part number.

Part number. Huh. So he wants me to look in the repair manual and find a part number for something in the truck? I asked him if he knew the name of the part he was looking for. No, that wasn't it.

Don't you have the stock number?
Yeah, you mean 629.2873?

Like, if I'm going to buy it.
Oh, you mean the ISBN?
What's that?
The standard book number.
What is it?
I gave it to him.

He was so happy!

Now good luck finding the repair manual from 1980 for sale anywhere...

It was 4:00PM, time for Heather to pass the desk hour to me. She had been trying to help a guy find a book on how to build a motorcycle. Oh, excuse me, not just a motorcycle, it was a chopper he wanted to build. I thought oh great, what am I going to find for him...

I searched for all different types of keywords, and I really don't know how I found it, but I found it:

Billy Lane's How to Build Old School Choppers, Bobbers and Customs (Motorbooks Workshop)

I thought for sure it's going to be a reference book across town. Even more unbelievable: we had it on the shelf! He was happy. So was I!